March 21 - The Bigger Deal

Read: Luke 10:17-20

Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. (Luke 10:20 ESV)

They returned triumphant. They felt victorious. Inspite of some of the rejection and hard heartedness of men, the disciples had done a great work. People had been healed, demons had been cast out, and the gospel message had went forth in preparation for Jesus.

I imagine that this group, mostly comprised of men marginalized by the religious establishment, felt pretty good about themselves. Jesus' words to them don't ring out as a form of correction but as cuationary concern. Of course he wanted them to heal and cast out demons. He was the one that empowered them to do it. The real matter to be rejoiced over was salvation.

In ministry it is really easy to get caught up in the wins. When things are going extremely well you start to ride a wave of success that feels awesome. Knowing God has empowered you to succeed and seeing it happen creates an opportunity to led pride sneak in. Whether you're in vocational ministry or not it is easy to let this kind of thing happen during successful seasons of life.

We must celebrate success, often. We must share stories of life change and the miraculous as they happen. But let us never forget that for each one of us the biggest cause for rejoicing in our life is the salvation of our souls.

March 20 - Reject

Read: Luke 10:13-16

"The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me." (Luke 10:16 ESV)

Sharing the truth about Jesus is guaranteed to set you up for opposition. There will be people who do not like what you have to say. There will be those who disdain how you say it. There will be many who simply reject the notion that God holds them accountable for their actions. Acceptance and rejection are staples of Christianity.

Even in your own journey through faith you must ultimately decide on the ideas which you will accept or reject. Theological questions, life issues, and other things to be wrestled with internally have to pass through the filters in your mind until they are received or they are rejected. Jesus himself must never be rejected. He tears through all internal filters and ideas. He is the main idea.

As the seventy-two sent ones travelled the countryside sharing the message of Jesus they faced rejection. There was a crooked religious heirarchy that shunned them. There was an occupying pagan force that ridiculed them. There were their own countrymen that misunderstood them.

Jesus prepared them for that eventuality. He told them that people would reject them. His point was not that they were rejecting the disciples so much as the fact that they were rejecting God himself. To reject those sent by Jesus is to reject Jesus, and to reject God. The wonderfully encouraging idea in this is that it also means that by accepting those sent by Jesus, you are accepting God.

March 19 - Regular People

Luke 10:1-12

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. (Luke 10:1 ESV)

Jesus selected seventy-two people from among those following him. Wait, what? What about those twelve apostle guys? Well, yeah. He had those guys too. There was probably some overlap. But Jesus took thirty-six pairs of followers and commissioned them to go ahead of him. They went into the towns and villages and healed the sick, cast out demons, and preached the powerful approach of the Kingdom of Heaven. In other words, they did what Jesus did.

It's a really cool and powerful example to me. Jesus picked regular people. Not the religious types he frequently had conflict with. He then sent them into the places that he himself was planning to go and had them begin to do the very thing he was planning to do when he eventually got there. That's pretty incredible.

Jesus picks regular people. He uses regular folks. It's easy in America to point to super mega sized churches and their leaders as the modern rockstars of the faith. No doubt about it, many of them are doing astounding things in their communities. But I love the idea that Jesus held a massive schoolyard pick one day and chose seventy-two regular dudes to go do what he was about to do.

That all has a pretty clear implication to me about what we should be up to. We should be going to places and taking about Jesus. We should share his message, his love, and his power in those places. We should pray for the sick. We should believe Jesus to make the difference. We should preach the Kingdom of Heaven. We should believe Jesus to invite them to be a part.

March 18 - Rest

Read: Matthew 11:25-27

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28 ESV)

We live in a face paced world. It is an age of instant gratification, rapid information, and rampant busyness. We pack our schedules full to bursting, and often with necessary things, but when do we rest?

Jesus spoke to the crowds about rest. He offered them rest from the insane nonsense that had been heaped upon them by the religious elite. He offered them change.

We need that same kind of change today. Sometimes it's from our own stupidity. Sometimes we are looking for a rest from the craziness that comes into our lifes from others. Jesus is a place we can go to and find rest. Whether it is an actual change in our schedule, or it is a total change of lifestyle—Christ is compelling us to see that our way leads to burdens and the broken backs of heavy living. He, in turn, offers rest. In the midst of this remarkably busy season of ministry a little rest sounds pretty good right about now.

March 17 - The Reason

Read: Mark 6:7-13

And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. (Mark 6:13 ESV)

I never really understood the reasoning for anointing people with oil when you're praying for them. But I didn't have to completely understand it. Jesus told his disciples to do it, they obeyed, and people were healed. Honestly, that's all the reasoning I really need.

Do you ever feel like there are things about this faith life that you don't know the reason for? If you're like me you probably think that way pretty often. Generally I am just crazy enough to believe that everything has a reason and a purpose. I am perplexed at some of the things in life that seem to be reasonless. Still, there are others who's reasons seem ridiculous.

What about your reason? If Jesus had a reason for teaching his disciples to anoint with oil he must have had a reason for most of the things he did. I certainly don't believe that he was bouncing around the Galilean countryside behaving at random. No, he had a reason for everything because he was sent with purpose. He ministered with purpose. He healed with purpose. He died with purpose. And behind every purpose there is a reason.

March 16 - Say and Do

Read: Luke 9:1-6

And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. (Luke 9:1, 2 ESV)

Jesus gave them power and authority. The disciples became his ambassadors. They became his representatives everywhere they went. Not just in name either. He gave them authority, but also the power to back it up.

Everywhere that these men were to go they were to boldly proclaim the truth of the gospel. And then to demonstrate that truth they were commanded to perform miracles. They would say something, and then they would do something that would demonstrate the legitimacy of their statements.

When we speak of Jesus do we offer action that shows the truth of our convictions? Shouldn't we? Christianity is not just about checking off a list of beliefs. It is also more than just running out and acting out of altruism. The Christ followers life is a balance of both. It is about proclamation and demonstration. It is saying and doing.

To fully embrace life as a disciple of Jesus is to embrace the power and authority Jesus gives us. That means saying who Jesus is to you, and then demonstrating the same thing.

March 15 - The Call

Read: Mark 3:13, 16-19

And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. (Mark 3:13 ESV)

Growing up the word calling was used as a part of normative church vernacular. That's a churchy way of saying destiny. It was generally phrased as either a question such as What is your calling? Or a statement like I am called to (insert career description).

It took a long time for me to understand what exactly that meant for my life. I began my Christian life at a young age, and understood pretty early on that there was some kind of bigger plan for my life than the things I daydreamed about. It wasn't until nearly ten years later that I began active vocational full time ministry.

I remember the decision to step into this life as a career minister. I remember feeling the weight of the Holy Spirit and the way it felt to feel God speak that into my heart. It wasn't so much a mountain top experience for me. There was nothing overly sensational. I didn't hear Christ's voice ring out from a mountain like the disciples did. It was a lot more like a felt whisper urging me in my soul.

Looking back over a decade later I wonder what my life might have become had I not listened and obeyed the Call. Even the remote possibility of it nearly brings me to tears. The idea of it is deeply troubling and sad because of the incredible joy I have experienced in ministry. On the other hand, I feel tears of complete gladness. I am glad than when Jesus whispered the Call into my soul that I answered. I am glad I came to him, not just for forgiveness, not just for an eternal destination in the after life. I am glad I came to Jesus when he called so that in him I would find a purpose, passion, and plan. In him I became a disciple and a discipler.

What about your Call? Did Jesus say something? Have you quieted your life enough to even hear or does the busyness of it all drown out the sound of his voice?

March 14 - All Night

Read: Luke 6:12-16

In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. (Luke 6:12 ESV)

Jesus had a big decision to make: Out of all the people that had started following him, who would become his apostles? To help him choose he did what we frequently see him do, he prayed. It wasn't a short prayer. It was a token acknowledgement of a scenario that was too large for him. It was an earnest search for guidance.

In the past my wife and I had a student that would ask to use our guest room as a place of prayer at night so as not to disturb his roommate. I nearly always obliged as these requests always came in the midst of a pressing situation in his life. In fact I have always admired his willingness to spend such a long time seeking God's guidance in the meaningful matters of life, as well as his faith in believing that he can hear from the Father in a way that is practical enough to act upon.

That's what Jesus did on the mountain that night. He prayed for an urgent need. He deliberated in the Spirit for quite a long time. He allowed God to guide him in a specific direction and he acted upon it.

What would it take for us to pray like that? I have to admit I rarely spend that kind of time in deliberate prayer. What kind of difference would it make in our decision making? When faced with life's tough choices would it make those choices easier? Perhaps not, but I believe that even in the most difficult of situations it would afford a measure of peace.

March 13 - Receivers

Read: Matthew 10: 40-42

Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. (Matthew 10:40 ESV)

Cell phone reception can get pretty spotty in the rural mountains I frequent. It has made for a few interesting stories over the years. Missed or mistaken words have created some interesting problems because reception, either actual or perceived, is a crucial element of conversation.

Christians are called that because they are "Christ-like" or at least they are supposed to be. People who bear the title are supposed to also bear the weight and responsibility of actually being authentic representatives of Christ to a world in desperate need of him.

So how are we representing? How are people receiving us?

I find it interesting that the bible paints an incredibly clear picture of Jesus being this guy who was really well received. I know I can't really compare on the reception scale. Why? What are we doing as his representatives to this world that is so completely off-putting to people? Is it pride? Arrogance?

Sure, some people completely confuse the issue. They are missing key parts of what is being said or shown. It is because they are not properly receiving. Their reception is bad. But sometimes those of us who should understand Jesus the best, do the poorest job of demonstrating him to those in our path. My prayer for you and I today is that what we say and do would be received as evidence for the authentic awesomeness of Christ.

March 12 - Lose to Find

Read: Matthew 10:34-39

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:39 ESV)

The Christian life can at times seem full of paradoxical things. One such paradox is the notion of losing life and finding life. Jesus was pretty clear. If you think you have found your life, you're lost, but if you're willing to let go of everything...only then will you really begin to live.

This is the kind of life he invites us into. To live, love, and serve him with everything. That in this process we abandon previous notions of what we thought our life was supposed to look like, and instead offer ourselves as a willing servant to be used for his purposes.

I am thirty two years old and rarely feel like I have it all figured out. I am solid in my relationship with God. That is, I am committed to continually growing in affection and obedience toward God. Even in that I find that I certainly never seem to know exactly what's going on in life every step of the way. Much of it often still seems a mystery.

It's actually when I begin to embrace the mystery of God that I usually grow the most in Him. Why? Because when I'm willing to place my faith in Jesus and follow where he leads I am willing to walk toward or away from anything. In those moments I am willing to lose the comfort and security of life to chase him completely. It's when you wake up thinking and acting like you have it all figured our that you are really in trouble. Which side of that coin do you find yourself on today?

March 11 - God Knows and Cares

Read: Matthew 10:26-33

But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. (Matthew 10:30 ESV)

God cares about you deeply. Jesus implicitly expressed this as he prepared to send out his followers to minister to the Jews. The message was multi-faceted, yet clear. The disciples and other followers of Jesus would face persecution, but God would help them. God cared for them. God valued them.

Depending on where you live you may face actual physical persecution for your faith. It is something that is far more prevalent than many in the American Church realize. This kind of persecution always has a variety of outcomes. Sometimes the person is miraculously delivered. Often someone gives their life for their faith.

Jesus reassured his followers that hard times were to come. Following him meant something. It was historic. It was monumental in the shaping of the destiny of creation. And basically all of Jesus' disciples died martyr's deaths. John, the youngest of the disciples, was the only one not killed for his faith. But it wasn't for a lack of trying.

John was dipped in boiling oil, he was set on fire, and he was poisoned. None of it worked. What was so special about John? I'm not entirely sure. However, I know that Jesus expressed value in all of his followers. A value that extends to those who authentically follow him today. In truth, Jesus knows us better than we even know ourselves. I'll admit, that thought gives me a great deal of comfort.

March 10 - Teach and Learn

Read: Matthew 10:16-25

A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. (Matthew 10:24 ESV)

I love living life with my fellow Christians. I have the wonderful privilege of working and serving in a close knit community of believers. We're in a season of rapid change as God brings in more and more people. We are experiencing a ton of growth. This has created a lot of really amazing opportunities for discipleship.

It is an awesome experience to have a hand in the spiritual development of a young adult. It also comes with the hefty weight of responsibility. Being given that kind of degree of authority places people under your care. When you're discipling someone you begin to care for them deeply as both parties begin to understand their unique roles in the relationship.

A mentor is burdened with the wonderful task of guiding someone toward a greater level of understanding and obedience in their faith. The one being mentored, the disciple, has the appointed opportunity to absorb and obey as they share in life and ministry with their teacher. This is probably my favorite aspect of ministry.

This was Jesus' model for growing the Kingdom. Take twelve guys, pour everything into them, and turn it over to them. Incredible. Along the way he offered up this little reminder. We all have a teacher to follow. We all have a master to serve. Sometimes that means we just need to pause and consider: How might I learn better? How and who can I serve better?

I love teaching and I love sharing. Sometimes I can learn just as much from those God has placed under my authority. They often teach me a great deal about dreaming big, about sharing faith, and about walking in transparency.

March 9 - At Hand

Read: Matthew 10:5-15

And proclaim as you go, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 10:7 ESV)

For hundreds of years the Jews had been waiting for the Messiah. He had arrived. Jesus was on the scene. As he selected, trained, and sent his disciples he granted them authority to do miracles, to proclaim the good news of the Gospel, and to invite people into the Kingdom of God.

They spread out across the region sharing the Gospel. The message; the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. It was at hand. It was near. It was now. It was attainable. It was within reach.

This incredible spiritual happening was happening in the here and now for them. It continues today. No longer was a relationship with God something to be gained through ritual, rules, and religious regulation. God could be known simply by reaching out to know Him. Jesus personified this. He made it possible.

Jesus is the door to the Kingdom. To know God is to know Christ. To know Christ is to know God. Want relationship with the Father? Get to know the Son. Need the restoration of the Father? Seek the hand of the Son.

Even today God longs to reconcile us to Himself. It is the work of salvation. It is the mission of the Incarnate Christ. It is at hand.

March 8 - Authority

Read: Matthew 10:1-4

And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. (Matthew 10:1 ESV)

Authority is generally pretty easy to recognize. We recognize the authority of police by their uniforms, badges, or vehicles. Firemen are recognized by their uniforms and equipment. First responders by their sirens and ambulance.

All of these things are not authority. They are only the tools that allow the ones who wield them to utilize and represent their authority by completing their jobs. Police use those tools to enforce the law, firemen to aid civilians and stop fires, and first responders to rescue people of provide emergency medical assistance. Each of these people are operating under a type of authority given to them by a larger governing power.

Jesus was the disciples' larger governing power. As he was the face of God before the Twelve he represented the interest and authority of God. He passed this authority on to his disciples.

The Apostle Paul later wrote that all Christians were Christ's ambassadors. Each of us carry an official mark of authority that recognizes us as official representatives of the Kingdom of God. In some way, on some level, that bestows upon us an inherent authority. The disciples were granted authority to cast out demons and to heal people. What does that kind of authority mean for you and I?

March 7 - Fishermen

Read: Matthew 4:18-22 & Mark 1:16-20

And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19 ESV)

I am a pretty poor fisherman. My dad tried really hard to teach me, but it just never took. I am pitifully unskilled at it. Others in my family are pretty good at it. My mom, brother, wife, and dad are all better at it than I am.

There are a lot of reasons why I am not a good at fishing, but the biggest one comes back to me not being very teachable concerning the subject. Fishing is one of those kinds of things that you can gain some proficiency at on your own, but if you want to be truly skilled you have to learn from a master. You have to learn the tricks for the different kinds of fish, the way to use different bait, how you change techniques depending on water depth and flow. Fishing is a complicated and yet simple activity.

Sharing the story of Jesus is much the same. Jesus told his disciples that by following him he would "make them become fishers of men." The gospel is easy to share, and at the same time it can seem complicated. It can seem overwhelming. It's a beautiful paradox.

Jesus developed his followers. He took a handful of men and women and entrusted Christianity to them. Every Christian on the planet can trace their faith back to one of those original twelve followers. In 2000 years the model for reaching people is still the same. His will is shape people over time into people who can reach out and lead and shape other people. So, how are you letting him shape you?

March 6 - Casting Nets

Read: Luke 5:1-11

And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." (Luke 5:5 ESV)

Everything we know about Simon Peter suggests that he was a successful fisherman. He made a career out of it. He had multiple boats and even several partners. When Jesus climbed into his boat one day he had already fished unsuccessfully for the entire night. So, why then did he obey the advice of a carpenter and cast his nets?

Sometimes the person with the most talent, best intentions, or superior intellect can miss the mark. There is always grace in those situations. There is always opportunity for improvement. There is always a chance to let Jesus show you how that you might do it better.

Peter had already seen Jesus at work. He was no stranger to Capernaum. He had even healed Peter's mother-in-law at an earlier date. No, Simon Peter knew who Jesus was, and what he was about. He didn't completely grasp the full implications of it all, but he believed. He believed in Jesus. So when Jesus, a trained carpenter and traveling preacher, asked him to cast his nets at the end of a long and fruitless night, it wasn't a man Peter was listening to. It was faith.

Unfortunately, we often wait until we have weathered a fruitless night before casting our net with Jesus. When all along we could have started with him. All along we could have followed him into a life of fruitfulness. Casting nets is work; and pulling in full nets is even harder work. Still Jesus compels us to come and throw out our nets. I for one am anxious to see the catch.

March 5 - Leave Everything

Read: Matthew 9:9; Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27-32

And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. (Luke 5:28 ESV)

Matthew the tax collector (also called Levi) was probably wealthy compared to the people around him. He was essentially a government sponsored swindler. An employee of the Roman's, it was Matthew's job to get the needed taxes from his countrymen. Anything collected above the needed amount was kept as payment. It was a system that set Matthew up as an apparent traitor to his fellow Jews. That all changed for Matthew the day Jesus walked into his life.

Matthew left everything. The tax booth, the pay check, his assignment by the Roman conquerors. He left it all and started following a homeless traveling preacher. Why? Because Matthew recognized that there was nothing he had that was better than anything Jesus was offering. To him that was worth leaving everything.

How does the story translate to us today? Are you and I willing to leave behind everything? What would that even look like? Those are pretty tough questions to consider. They are made even tougher if you are someone sitting high atop the ladder of financial success. Still, Matthew did it. So can we. He even went on to write the Gospel that bears his name.

Our pursuits and passions are often varied and frivolous. Sometimes our careers can be as well. A life lived in full pursuit of Jesus is never frivolous. It is measured. It is costly. It is worth leaving everything.

March 4 - Rabbi, Son, & King

Read: John 1:46-51

Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" (John 1:49 ESV)

Jesus' prophetic display convinced Nathan to follow him. He exclaimed his astonishment by attributing three very Jewish titles to Jesus. He called him a rabbi, the Son of God, and King of the Jews.

Rabbi was a title. It was and still is a Jewish word for teacher. It was used frequently when speaking of Jesus. For good reason too. He was teaching the people of his day the truth of the kingdom of God in a way that baffled, angered, and shamed the religious elite, while encouraging and empowering the destitute and ignored. Jesus taught about a lot of things, but he demonstrated all of his instruction very pointedly by becoming the sacrifice to fulfill all of his earthly promises.

Son of God seems to be a really straight forward thing to call someone, and basically it is. It is a figure of speech that goes all the way back to the creation story when Adam is called the son of God. It is a theme that runs through the entire Old Testament, spinning out of the promise God made to Abraham that he would be an exalted father. Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of those three words. He is the Son of God. He is God the Son. Essentially, all Old Testament themes speaking of sonship and family point ahead to Jesus. He is the fulfillment of that and so much more. And you and I can also be sons of God as we are adopted into the family of God through Jesus' sacrifice.

King of Israel was a curious thing to call Jesus. After all, the nation already had a king. This title declares two things. First, the man who sat on the throne at the time of Jesus was not the true king of Israel. He was not a descendant of David. No, Herod was a puppet king put in place by the Romans. Second, the title attributed to Jesus recognition of his lawful right to the throne, something he did not pursue at that time, as well as his role as an eternal king of God's people.

Ultimately Jesus is the supreme teacher, son, and ruler. In him we have revealed to us absolute truth. In him we find restoration into the original family. In him we gain citizenship to a sovereign eternal kingdom.

March 3 - A Personal Connection

Read: John 1:43-45

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." (John 1:43 ESV)

According to the Bible, in terms of human attraction, Jesus was nothing spectacular to look upon. He was well regarded by people. He was admired for his teaching, compassion, and miracles. Was that alone enough to cause the large numbers of people who gathered around him to follow him?

Philip is counted among the original twelve. He was one chosen by Christ to steward Christianity in its infancy. Philip gave his life to fulfill the role Jesus had called him into. Philip probably already knew a lot about Jesus by the time Christ found him and stated those two words that changed his eternal destiny. Jesus was extremely well known in the region. Still, it took an experience with Jesus. It took personal connection for Philip to engage.

There are many we interact with on a regular basis that are similar to Philip. They need only experience a personal connection with Jesus to start their life of following. We are their best chance at a personal connection. After all, we are the representatives for Christ and his kingdom in this world.

How well are you representing? How are you representing? Are you connecting? Can you connect better?

March 2 - Finding Jesus

Read: John 1:41-42

He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ). (John 1:41 ESV)

I can not even begin to imagine the euphoria experienced by Andrew and Peter when they realized that they had found the Messiah. The title Messiah was such an important word in Old Testament Jewish tradition. For them to conclude that Jesus fulfilled that role was monumental. It was historic. It was life changing.

"Have you found Jesus, Gump?" "I didn't know I was supposed to be looking for him."

Those classic lines from Forrest Gump used to replay in my mind all of the time. I came from a church culture and family tradition where I definitely did have to go searching or looking for Jesus. There was nowhere for him to hide in my life. We were in church every time the doors were open for the vast majority of my childhood. I never had to find Jesus because I never felt like he was lost.

In truth, I was the lost one. Actually that is all of our condition before beginning our relationship with Jesus. The sweet beauty of it all is that he finds us in our lostness. Jesus finds us.